Dreamland of Regrets
by The Demonic Ninjas 3
Summary: [ItaSaku OneShot]The Dreamland of Regrets, a place for the regretful to speak of their regrets freely. Regret, a feeling that weighs heavily on the hearts of both Itachi and Sakura. Can a remorseful assassin and a girl shrouded by loss really relate?


**Dreamland of Regret**

**By: The Demonic Ninjas 3**

**Beta Read By: featherdreams and Yukina**

**Dedicated to: Yukina **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, I only own my ideas on Itachi's innocence.

**Summary:** ItaSaku Gift fic - OneShot The Dreamland of Regrets – a place for those with deep regrets to speak of them freely. Regret – a feeling that weighs heavily on the hearts of both Itachi and Sakura. An assassin of a prestigious clan and a girl shrouded by terrible lost, can the two really relate?

**Author's Note:** My first ItaSaku fic. Never really saw a connection into this pairing but one of my friends is a crazy fanatic of this pairing…so I wrote this fan-fiction for her. She's beginning to read some of my fanfics…as well as Beta-ing them. (The only one she's Beta-ed so far is **Vampire On a Leash** though haha). Anyways, I hope you people will enjoy my first ItaSaku. Perhaps sometime in the future I will see a possibility in this pairing; however I doubt I ever will.

A general warning, this fic contains my ideals of Itachi's enigmatic character. My theories lie in the fact that I believe he's been framed in the Uchiha massacre. I hope that you readers will be able to see my views, but you don't necessarily have to believe them. I'll continue to believe that he's a good guy and you people can continue believing that he's a villain.

Sincerely,

The Demonic Ninjas 3

* * *

_A cool breeze swayed the trees as subtle shadowy figures moved stealthily between them. The Konoha ANBU had been sent to patrol the Fire Country's borders with rumors of a possible invasion by the notorious organization Akatsuki floating through the towns. The ANBU's operation was to stop the possible invasion, if it were to occur. The codename for the mission – Operation Lightfoot, and the leader of Operation Lightfoot was the Uchiha prodigy, Itachi._

_The young ANBU captain moved swiftly through the Fire Country terrain, determined to locate the Akatsuki Organization's whereabouts, however, Itachi was focusing on only one member of the Akatsuki - Orochimaru. His determination was not only fuelled by his nature of destroying the traitors of his village, but also, by a curiosity that was mixed with outrage. _

_A mysterious letter had been sent to him approximately half a year before the current mission was created. The letter was written by the perpetrator, Orochimaru, and it had disgusted the adolescent to no end as it created an image of Itachi as being a power hungry fool who would offer anything for power; even his own body. _

_Being a loyal shinobi of Konoha, Itachi had headed straight to the Sandaime to speak to him about the "Orochimaru issue". The issue, of course, being Orochimaru's insanity. _

_Itachi's mind began to linger towards the message that had been inscribed in the letter that half year ago._

_**Itachi,**_

_**I must congratulate you on your promotion into becoming an ANBU.**_

_**It is quite encouraging to hear that a child of your age has been able to achieve such a high status– quite astounding indeed.**_

_**Your strength intrigues me. Your intelligence keeps me in awe, but your outstanding ability to master the Sharingan just baffles me. Of course, your mastery in your Sharingan must be the cause of your desire for power and strength. I can offer this to you.**_

_**You seek power, and I seek to watch a fledging grow strong. Let me be your teacher and I shall offer you power that you can never be able to attain without my help. For example, the Mangakyou Sharingan – the legendary Sharingan. Do you not wish to experience its awe-inspiring power?**_

_**I will wait for you by the Fire Country borders in half a year from now for your response. **_

_**Orochimaru**_

_A proposition of power and body was not a proposal that Itachi would ever accept. Orochimaru waited for a response at the Fire Country's border.__ The third Hokage gave the young ANBU Captain instructions to recover as much information as possible about the issue without being tempted by the seductive snake sannin._

_Itachi's jaw clenched beneath his ANBU mask at the thought of the letter's message._

_Orochimaru was too ambitious for the world's good. Even if Orochimaru is one of the Sannin, he had to be eliminated for the safety of the world, Konoha, his clan, and especially his little brother Sasuke. Itachi recognized that Orochimaru coveted his body because of the Sharingan that he bore. This was why Itachi had changed the mission from protecting the Fire Country from a possible invasion, to destroying Orochimaru once and for all. As an ANBU, Itachi already had more freedom to destroy the Sannin Orochimaru, and now, that opportunity arrived…_

* * *

_Out of nowhere, a gigantic snake appeared, sinking its jaws into two of Itachi's men. Bewildered, his squad began to battle mindlessly. There were only 5 men in his squad. With two killed, it was a futile effort against the gigantic basilisk. Itachi watched helplessly as his men fell under the hands of the snake, for he already knew who the summoner was. _

_Itachi took a battle position as the snake turned its attention to Itachi, its reptilious eyes analyzing him with interest. The snake opened its mouth, and walking out of the mouth was Orochimaru, wearing a devilish smile across his face. _

"_Why, hello Itachi-kun. I'm glad you came with such appetizing escorts. My pet here will have fun feeding off of them."_

"_I did not expect you to appear so suddenly. I was hoping to break off from my squad before contacting you." _

"_Oh my, I do apologize for ruining your perfectly laid-out plans. But these men are of no significance anyway. I just want your response. Yes… or no?" Orochimaru's tongue flicked out venomously._

_Itachi grabbed the katana on his back and pointed it at Orochimaru._

"_I have decided to decline your offer. I'm not as power-hungry as you believe I am."_

_The playful smile on Orochimaru's face disappeared as raw anger began to fill the Snake Lord's eyes._

"_Are you sure you wish to decline my offer, Itachi-kun? We would be such good partners too…"_

_Itachi shook his head gravely. "I'm sorry, but it wouldn't work between us. You're too much of a threat to Konoha, therefore, in the name of my clan, I will annihilate you." Without further ado, Itachi activated his Sharingan, raised his katana above his head and disappeared from Orochimaru's line of sight._

_With god-like speed, the Uchiha appeared at Orochimaru's side, kicking him up into the air and whipping 10 shurikens at the Snake Lord to pin him down. Quickly, he formed hand seals. "Katon! Ryuka no Jutsu." The flames burned its way down the threads that were connected to the shurikens pinning down Orochimaru, engulfing him in flames._

_The Uchiha prodigy bit his lip as the flames died down. There were no charred body remains. The only traces left of Orochimaru's former presence were ashes spelling out a ghastly message._

_**You will regret having declined my offer, Itachi-kun. **_

_**Now your clan must pay.**_

_The Uchiha prodigy whipped his katana at the despised message on the ground with so much force that the ground split __as the katana sliced through the ground so that only the hilt could be seen. The message was distorted by the force and Itachi's ANBU mask cracked in half, revealing a face with hatred written all over it. The revenge-filled ANBU Captain quickly sped back to Konoha. His clan was in danger. He had to get there fast to warn them of the impending threat._

"Mom! I'm home!" Sakura announced, upon entering her home. The pink-haired Kunoichi dropped off her keys in a small bowl where the other household keys were placed and began heading towards her bedroom.

"Sakura-chan! Dinner's ready!" Her mother bellowed up the stairs. Sakura sighed.

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, take a few pieces of sushi for a snack then."

Sakura reluctantly walked down the stairs and entered the kitchen where the aroma of freshly fried tempura filled the air. It made Sakura's mouth water.

"The tempura smells good." Sakura complimented her mother as she grabbed an empty bento tray and began filling it with the tempura.

"You can take a few if you want. So, how was your day?"

The pink-haired daughter shrugged. "The usual."

"But it's Valentine's day."

"With most of my friends on missions, there isn't much of a celebration. Though Hinata-chan did give me a box of chocolates, like every year…"

"Oh, the Hyuuga heiress?"

"Yup."

Sakura tossed one of the pieces of sushi into her mouth and chewed carefully, reminiscing about the day's events… and her loneliness. It had been about a year since Naruto and Sasuke left the village, and there wasn't much news of their whereabouts. Only Sakura's rigorous training permitted the young medic-nin-in-training to keep her thoughts away from her teammates.

Three years, Jiriya had said. Three years to become stronger and rip Sasuke out of Orochimaru's hands. Three years seemed so long and yet, so short. Sakura wondered how strong she would become after her training would be completed. Would she be strong enough to confront Orochimaru? Yes, she would, even if it were at the cost of her life.

She would bring Sasuke out of the dark abyss. It wouldn't be right to have everyone place their lives on the line and not her own. Sakura was determined, but her determination was mixed with bitter sorrow.

The pink-haired kunoichi thanked her mother for her snack and entered her bedroom with her bento box filled with four sushi and three tempura. Sakura placed the bento box onto her dresser table where a pretty red apple and a glass of water stood and threw herself onto her bed. It was good that life was hectic most of the time, since it offered her the chance to temporarily escape her dream.

Dreams, or more like nightmares – nightmares that just kept returning. The nightmares always alluded to the possible "If I only had done this…" and pained Sakura so much. How Sakura could have stopped Sasuke, how she shouldn't have pressed Naruto with so much pressure, how she should have matured and treated her teammates equally so that she could have understood them and not impose a pre-created image upon their lives. These thoughts kept returning, night after night, and there was no possible escape, none at all.

It was a clear evening. The sky was a shade of midnight blue, with wisps of white clouds that made the sky appear dreamy. Studded with gem-like stars, it must have been a beautiful night for the couples that lived in Konoha. A romantic candlelit dinner would have fit this scene; however Sakura was without a date.

A cool breeze slipped through the room, and oddly enough, Sakura's bedroom window was closed. The cool air soothed Sakura as she unexpectedly fell into a deep sleep…

Sakura's eyes opened slowly. Her surroundings were oddly surreal, unlike all her previous nightmares. Something in the back of her mind told her tonight was going to give her a mental breakdown. It was evidently a dream as her surroundings were too perfect to be true.

She was in the midst of a lush meadow with dainty flowers that moved with the warm breeze and lifted Sakura's pink hair lightly. From the distance, Sakura heard the sounds of a flowing river. Her surroundings made her relax. For the first time, Sakura felt at peace with herself.

Feeling a sudden need to quench her thirst, Sakura followed the sounds of the flowing river until she reached the crystal-like stream that glimmered in the sun's rays. Sakura stopped herself abruptly before she reached the river, for by the riverside sat a man dressed in a black ninja outfit.

The man had raven-hair that was neatly placed in a low ponytail with a red hair tie. Timidly, the young kunoichi walked over to the mysterious man.

"A-anon…"

The man turned around and smiled. "Oh, hello, I never imagined anyone else would be here."

Sakura's eyes carefully analyzed the man's appearance. He had an uncanny resemblance to Sasuke. The man had the same onyx eyes. Delicately strapped onto his forehead was a Konoha headband. There was an unusually warm aura that surrounded the man that caused Sakura's soul to relax. The man smiled.

"Take a seat. I won't bite."

Sakura placed herself uneasily beside the man. What if he WASN'T a Konoha ninja?

Sakura looked at herself and noticed that she was unequipped. Her unprotected state made Sakura realize that she had no choice but to comply with the man's words. The eerie katana that was strapped to the man had an unusually ominous aura, even for a weapon.

"So what's your name?" The man's onyx eyes gleamed in the glorious sun's light.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura."

"Haruno Sakura, eh?" A light wind caused the man's raven hair to brush across his cheek.

"So, what are you regretting?"

Sakura blinked in astonishment.

"R-regretting?" Sakura stuttered in reply. How could this man know she was regretting something? …Then again… this WAS a dream…

"Well, this place IS called the Dreamland of Regrets for a reason. Only those with regrets can enter." The man stated matter-of-factly.

"Dreamland of Regret." Sakura repeated mechanically as her mind floated away.

There was a moment of silence between the two Konoha ninjas. A thrush could be heard singing in the distance.

"I have many regrets." Sakura stated simply.

"It's best to speak out about them. It feels better that way." The man urged the pink-haired kunoichi to continue.

"My regrets cause me to feel helpless…because I was… and probably still am, helpless…"

"It is better to be rendered helpless than to be so helpful that your actions are interpreted incorrectly…"

"You have regrets as well?"

"That's why I'm here." The man stated simply as he picked up a partially blooming bluebell and threw it into the glistening stream in front of him.

"Sometimes, you try so hard to expand someone's potential, that everything else seems insignificant.Then, all your hard work is blown away by some unexpected force and all that is left of your efforts are tainted seeds. Seeds can be left to die, or with some help, be re-grown, however, a different approach must be taken to regrow the plant or else, the seed will die. I chose to re-grow my hard work, under different conditions. I chose to re-grow it in dangerous soil, where the unexpected force lingers near, preying upon my efforts. I regret my choice of land. This is why I am here - to reminisce on my ill-made decision, one that I cannot turn away from." The man's eyes were glazed, as if lost in some distant memory.

* * *

_Itachi arrived at his clan's street. A haunting silence lingered in the atmosphere. An unwanted stench filled the air, one that Itachi had become __**too**__ familiar with – blood._

_The ANBU Captain quickly ran through the streets and into his family manor._

"_Tou-san! Kaa-san!" The Uchiha adolescent yelled into the empty halls of his mansion, searching for signs of life. The pungent scent of iron was in his house as well. A small noise could be heard from his left, in the direction of his parents' bedroom. The teen dashed down the left corridor and flung open the doors of his parents' bedroom only to reveal a horrendous sight. His parents were drenched in their own blood. Itachi ran up to his parents' bodies._

"_Tou-san! Kaa-san! What happened?" His father's eyelids flickered as he rasped out, "Itachi…?"_

"_Tou-san! Who did this to you? TOU-SAN!"_

"_P…protect… Sasuke…" _

"_Where is he?"_

"_He's… cough… at the … academy…"_

"_Don't worry Tou-san, Sasuke will be fine. I just need to heal you." The young ANBU Captain pulled out a first aid kit and attempted to dress his father's wounds. "Who did this to you?!"_

"_O-Orochimaru…Itachi… remember Sasuke… He's still young. He won't… understand." Itachi nodded as his nimble hands worked carefully on mending the wounds._

"_I will always remember Sasuke. He is my brother. I will protect him no matter the cost. I swear." Itachi felt his father's heartbeat slowing down. "Stop talking father. You need all the energy you have."_

"_Remember… Sasuke…" Suddenly his father took his last breath, and then his pulse stopped and his chest had stopped moving. Itachi's hands stopped in its work._

"_Tou…san…" Itachi whispered. There was no response. Slowly, Itachi returned the First Aid Kit into its original position. His father was dead._

_The young ANBU Captain closed his tired eyes as ideas formulated in his mind. Sasuke was a passionate child who was talented but still very gullible. His father's last wish was to protect Sasuke. Orochimaru still wants the Sharingan. The sole survivors of the Sharingan bearers were Kakashi and himself, plus a possibility for Sasuke. There was only one way to fulfill his father's wish, and it would take all his acting skills to pull it off. _

_Itachi bit his lip lightly at the thought of his plan. The Uchiha prodigy knew that Sasuke would try to avenge his parents' death, no matter what the cost would be. It was inevitable. He would have to make Sasuke believe that he was the murderer. It would be the only way to keep his little brother away from the perverse snake sannin, but at the same time tainting his reputation. Planting a seed in dangerous soil._

* * *

Sakura's wretched heart felt the pains of the man, as if their hearts were connected by a thread, of which their sorrows flowed through.

The man looked up at Sakura as if contemplating her future. A grave smile played on the man's face before he spoke.

"You are one of the very few that I can relate to. Your regrets are similar to mine, however my regrets have caused my sins. ."

The man stood up from where he sat and offered Sakura his hand. In a daze, Sakura placed her right hand in the mysterious man's solid grip as she felt herself being pulled up from the ground.

"You are a beautiful kunoichi, Sakura, both in mind and your physical state." The man's onyx eyes appeared to delve deep into Sakura's soul as he spoke.

"Your ideals are pure and fair as they appear. You shall succeed in your goals under Lady Tsunade's wing so do not be afraid. Patience is needed in the vigil that you have set yourself in. The wait shall not be in vain, as you shall bloom with beauty and strength.

Sakura, the cherry blossom, quite a fitting name for a maiden of your fair state."

There was a momentary pause as the man listened to his surroundings tentatively. In a chivalrous manner, the man bowed as a courtier would to a lady of noble birth, and pressed his lips against the back of Sakura's hand.

"I believe that it is time to take my leave and leave you time to get a good night's rest. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun wouldn't like it if I stayed with you any longer." The man chuckled to himself as he slowly walked away from Sakura.

"W-wait!" Sakura exclaimed aloud as she realized that she didn't know the mysterious man's name, however at that moment, Sakura woke up.

The pink-haired kunoichi scanned her surroundings carefully. She was back in her bedroom. It was really a dream. Sakura began to wonder if she had been talking in her sleep, but then again, her parents were used to Sakura's sleep-talking by now. Whenever Sakura had a nightmare, her parents told her that she kept yelling Naruto and Sasuke's names. This time though, Sakura wasn't telling Naruto or Sasuke to wait and not leave, but to a mysterious man of godly stature, whom knew the ideas in her mind without even asking.

Sakura stared at the alarm clock by her bedside. 11:59 pm. It was technically still Valentine's Day. Sakura stretched her legs and got up from her bed as she walked to her desk where her bento box still lay, with the pretty red apple and the glass of water which was probably stale by now.

Sakura picked up the glass of stale water and drank deeply. It had a funny taste, but it quenched her thirst. The curtains in Sakura's bedroom were partly open and the silver moonlight slipped into her room.

"It's midnight." Sakura thought as her teeth sunk into the skin of the pretty red apple.

"The perfect time to reflect on past mistakes, present regrets and the unpredictable future." Sakura felt drawn to the beauty of the silver moon, as if it brought a connection to someone else… one who could read her mind.

Itachi's godly-still figure was illuminated by the moonlight. Kisame, his companion, was fixing dinner. Suddenly, Itachi moved from his statuesque posture, his eyes were of onyx hue instead of the normal crimson shade of the legendary Sharingan. Itachi rubbed his temples as if attempting to soothe a stubborn headache. The Mangakyou Sharingan had taken a lot of his energy.

"Remind me what you were doing again?" Kisame spoke plainly as he slowly cooked a few fresh river trout.

"Reflecting on past actions." Itachi walked up to the campfire to warm his hands.

"With your Mangakyou Sharingan on at full blast?" Kisame asked comically.

"I wanted to invite someone into my thoughts."

Kisame raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Why?"

"It's Valentine's Day." Itachi stated simply. "A time to share your feelings with others."

Kisame laughed. "Does that mean I can't eat fish today because I love them with all my heart?" Kisame's sarcastic tone was evident.

Itachi shrugged. "Depends on how strongly you feel for them."

"Okay." Kisame grabbed the trouts that had just been cooked and handed them over to Itachi.

"Happy Valentine's Day Itachi! And may all your hopes and dreams come true."

Itachi accepted the gifts and stared at them with a blank expression. "Thank you for your blessing, however, some wishes just aren't meant to come true."

Kisame just gave Itachi a confused look.

Itachi smiled lightly as his eyes began to glaze over. "There are still many things that you, Kisame, still won't be able to understand, unless you experience it yourself."

From the distance, the howling of wolves could be heard, as if calling for those with regrets to enter a world where they can speak of them freely. A call to the Dreamland of Regrets.

* * *

**End of Oneshot!**

I hope everyone enjoyed my first ItaSaku, especially you Yukina! Please remember to read and review! And this fic was posted about 2 months behind. It was supposed to be a Valentine's fic, but I didn't get the time to post it. Anyways, happy April Fool's Day to everyone!

_The Demonic Ninjas 3_


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